Summer is a wonderful time to try new foods! This guide is packed with ideas for breakfast, lunch, and snacks to make summer meal planning a breeze for students and their families. The meal suggestions are budget-friendly to help you stretch your summer food budget and take advantage of summer EBT benefits.
You can follow the meal plan provided or pick and choose meals based on your family's preferences and dietary needs. Use the tasty recipes or your favorite recipes from home. A blank menu is provided to help you plan your meals for a few days or the entire week. Enjoy summer meals in a SNAP!
Tips for getting started
- The menu and shopping list are for a family with two children.
- Most recipes make 4 servings. You can use leftovers for later meals or save them for another day. If you need more than 4 servings, just double the recipes.
- Feel free to use your favorite recipes or follow the ones included in the guide.
- You can use a muffin mix, pre-made hummus, or boxed macaroni and cheese instead of making everything from scratch.
- Older youth can try making the recipes themselves. For younger children, adults can prepare the meals ahead of time, and kids can reheat them in the microwave at mealtime.
- Each day includes a cold sandwich option, which is great for days when adults prefer that children avoid using hot cooking equipment when they're home alone.
- Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are convenient. You can also use fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season.
- These breakfast, lunch and snack ideas can contribute to a daily meal plan containing foods that are good sources of iron, calcium, Vitamin C and Vitamin A.
- For dinner ideas to complete the day, check out other meal ideas.
Week 1 menu
| Breakfast | Lunch (hot) | Lunch (cold) | Snack | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Banana muffin | Fruit: Orange | Peanut butter and jelly Fruit: Orange Veggie: Fresh broccoli florets | Yogurt and fruit Apple |
| Day 2 | Fruit: Applesauce | Veggie: Carrots | Veggie: Carrots | Ants on a log Banana |
| Day 3 | Peanut butter toast Fruit: Banana | Fruit: Applesauce | Fruit: Applesauce | Fresh veggies with cottage cheese |
| Day 4 | Overnight oats | Fruit: Grapes | Veggie and hummus sandwich Fruit: Grapes | Fresh fruit and cheese cubes |
| Day 5 | Yogurt Fruit: Grapes | Fruit: Banana | Fruit: Banana | Fresh veggies with hummus dip |
| Day 6 | Fruity breakfast parfaits | Veggie: Lettuce salad | Veggie: Lettuce salad | Apple slices and nut butter |
| Day 7 | Banana bobs | Veggie: Green beans | Veggie: Green pepper sticks | Stuffed French toast wraps |
Week 1 shopping list
Fresh produce
- 2 apples
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 celery stalks
- 5 large banana
- 1 cucumber
- 2 cups grapes
- 1 large carrot
Canned fruit and vegetables
- 1 20 oz canned pineapple
- 1 8 oz box of dried raisins
- 1 8 oz jar of apple sauce
Cereal, pasta and grains
- 1 loaf of sliced whole wheat Bread
- 1 8-count package of tortillas
- 2 cups oatmeal
Meat and dairy
- 5 eggs
- 8 cup 1% milk
- 1 32 oz flavored yogurt
- 1 package grated cheddar cheese
- 1 package cheese cubes
- 1 small container cottage cheese
Frozen foods
- 8 oz frozen blueberries
- 8 oz frozen strawberries
Pantry staples
- All purpose-flour
- Sugar
- Peanut butter
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground nutmeg
- Salt
- Pepper
- Vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil
- Honey
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
- Mixed nuts
- Flaxseed
- Chocolate chips
- Hummus dip
- Sliced almonds
Week 2 menu
| Breakfast | Lunch (hot) | Lunch (cold) | Snack | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Fruit pizza to go | Fruit: Grapes | Fruit: Grapes Veggie: Celery sticks | Fresh veggies and chickpea dip |
| Day 2 | Cereal Fruit: Berries | Fruit: Banana | Fruit: Banana Veggie: Green pepper sticks | Fresh grapes and cheese cubes |
| Day 3 | Oatmeal with fruit | Veggie: Broccoli | Peanut butter sandwich Veggie: Broccoli | Carrots |
| Day 4 | Peanut butter toast Fruit: Banana | Veggie: Carrots | Cheese sandwich Veggie: Carrots | Yogurt with fruit |
| Day 5 | Breakfast banana split | Fruit: Orange | Fruit: Orange | Peanut butter toast Apples |
| Day 6 | Fruit: Applesauce | Ramen noodle skillet (beef or chicken) Veggie: Salad | Veggie: Lettuce salad | Hummus on crackers |
| Day 7 | Scrambled egg toast Fruit: Grapes | Southwestern style rice bowl or brown rice, corn, beans Fruit: Apple | Veggie and hummus sandwich Fruit: Apple | Carrot sticks and veggie dip |
Week 2 shopping list
Fresh produce
- 1 pack of fresh strawberries
- 1 pack of grapes
- 2 mandarin oranges
- 4 large bananas
- 2 medium apple
- 2 medium carrots
Cereal, pasta and grains
- 1 6-pack English muffin (whole wheat)
- 1 loaf of whole wheat bread
- 1 8 oz container oatmeal
- 1 box Toasted O cereal
Meat and dairy
- 1 4 oz strawberry cream cheese
- 1 gallon low-fat milk
- 1 8 oz plain yogurt
- 2 oz cheese cubes
- 3 eggs
- 1 container hummus
Frozen foods
- 1 8 oz bag of frozen blueberries
Pantry staples
- Garlic cloves
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Paprika
- Black pepper
- Peanut butter
- Raisins
- Granola
- Whole-wheat flour
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground nutmeg
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- Triscuits
- Ranch dressing
Meal planning
Planning meals with your children is a great way to spend time with them. Use this guide to help plan meals and snacks your child eat during the week. Look at the two-week summer meal ideas to get started.
Think
- What foods do you have on hand?
- What foods are on sale this week?
- What foods do you like to eat?
- What meal ideas do you like from the two-week meal idea guide?
- What is a new food or recipe you would like to try?
Plan
- Write what foods you plan to eat each day.
- Start small. Start by planning a few meals at a time.
- Make a grocery list.
Be flexible
Meal plans are a guide. You do not need to follow them exactly.
Additional resources
- Preparing a two-week emergency food supply (UMN Extension)
- Meals with Help from Kids (from NDSU)
